On 5 June 2026, the FAU Research Center for Human Rights Erlangen-Nünberg (FAU CHREN) hosted the workshop “The Right to Development in Practice: Law, Power, and Global Inequalities.” The event brought together scholars from different disciplines to discuss contemporary debates on the Right to Development and its relevance for global justice, international cooperation, and human rights-based approaches to development.
Professor Heloise Weber: A critical political analysis of the “Right to Development”
The workshop opened with a presentation by Professor Heloise Weber (University of Queensland), who examined the Right to Development from a critical political economy perspective. Her contribution situated the concept within broader historical and contemporary debates on global inequalities and international economic structures. She particularly discussed the disparities in international trade practices regarding market access and it’s impact on the redistribution as a development goal.
Dr. Muhammad Asif Khan: The Right to Development as a Legal Framework: Participation and Distribution
Dr. Muhammad Asif Khan (FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg) then explored the Right to Development as a legal framework. His presentation focused on the evolution of the concept in international law and highlighted the normative aspects of the key principles of right to development such as self-determination, participation, equitable distribution, and international cooperation. He also addressed recent developments surrounding the draft international covenant on the Right to Development.
Professor Eva Pils: Against autocratic developmentalism
The final presentation by Professor Eva Pils (FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg) examined the notion of “autocratic developmentalism.” Drawing on contemporary debates about development and human rights, she discussed the relationship between economic development, state power, and individual freedoms, raising important questions about the role of human rights protections within development processes in autocratic settings.
Interdisciplinary Exchange
Each presentation was followed by a Q&A session, allowing participants to engage with key issues surrounding the Right to Development, recent developments in international law, and the role of state and international actors in development processes. The workshop thus provided a platform for interdisciplinary exchange on the challenges and future prospects of the Right to Development in an evolving global order.
Overall, the workshop provided an interdisciplinary platform for reflecting on the current challenges and future prospects of the Right to Development in an evolving global order.
The workshop was chaired by Professor Markus Krajewski.
Speaker short bio
Prof. Dr. Heloise Weber is an Associate Professor at the University of Queensland. Her research focuses on global political economy, development, and inequality, with particular attention to trade, international economic law, and postcolonial approaches to global governance.